Japan PM Kishida Met U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen Alessandra Evangelista; Kishida Received Letter from Biden

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:59 JST, June 7, 2024

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Alessandra Evangelista, the 21-year-old U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen, and others at his office on Thursday.

Mentioning the gift of cherry tree seedlings he gave during his official visit to the United States in April, Kishida said, “I would like to promote efforts so that our nation’s sakura can be enjoyed even more and strengthen the ties between Japan and the United States.”

During the meeting, Kishida also received a letter from U.S. President Joe Biden.

The queen is chosen at the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival held in Washington, which commemorates Japan’s gifting of 3,000 cherry trees to the United States in 1912.